ActionScript 3.0 is a huge upgrade to Flash's programming language. The enhancements to ActionScript's performance, feature set, ease of use, cleanliness, and sophistication are considerable. Essential ActionScript 3.0 focuses on the core language and object-oriented programming, along with the Flash Player API.
Essential ActionScript has become the #1 resource for the Flash and ActionScript development community, and the reason is the author, Colin Moock. Many people even refer to it simply as "The Colin Moock book."

And for good reason: No one is better at turning ActionScript inside out, learning its nuances and capabilities, and then explaining everything in such an accessible way. Colin Moock is not just a talented programmer and technologist; he's also a gifted teacher.

Essential ActionScript 3.0 is a radically overhauled update to Essential ActionScript 2.0. True to its roots, the book once again focuses on the core language and object-oriented programming, but also adds a deep look at the centerpiece of Flash Player's new API: display programming. Enjoy hundreds of brand new pages covering exciting new language features, such as the DOM-based event architecture, E4X, and namespaces--all brimming with real-world sample code.

The ActionScript 3.0 revolution is here, and Essential ActionScript 3.0's steady hand is waiting to guide you through it.

Adobe Developer Library is a co-publishing partnership between O'Reilly Media and Adobe Systems, Inc. and is designed to produce the number one information resources for developers who use Adobe technologies. Created in 2006, the Adobe Developer Library is the official source for comprehensive learning solutions to help developers create expressive and interactive web applications that can reach virtually anyone on any platform. With top-notch books and innovative online resources covering the latest in rich Internet application development, the Adobe Developer Library offers expert training and in-depth resources, straight from the source.

Table of Contents

ActionScript from the Ground Up

Chapter 1
Core Concepts

Tools for Writing ActionScript Code

Flash Client Runtime Environments

Compilation

Quick Review

Classes and Objects

Creating a Program

Packages

Defining a Class

Virtual Zoo Review

Constructor Methods

Creating Objects

Variables and Values

Constructor Parameters and Arguments

Expressions

Assigning One Variable's Value to Another

An Instance Variable for Our Pet

Instance Methods

Members and Properties

Virtual Zoo Review

Break Time!

Chapter 2
Conditionals and Loops

Conditionals

Loops

Boolean Logic

Back to Classes and Objects

Chapter 3
Instance Methods Revisited

Omitting the this Keyword

Bound Methods

Using Methods to Examine and Modify an Object's State

Get and Set Methods

Handling an Unknown Number of Parameters

Up Next: Class-Level Information and Behavior

Chapter 4
Static Variables and Static Methods

Static Variables

Constants

Static Methods

Class Objects

C++ and Java Terminology Comparison

On to Functions

Chapter 5
Functions

Package-Level Functions

Nested Functions

Source-File-Level Functions

Accessing Definitions from Within a Function

Functions as Values

Function Literal Syntax

Recursive Functions

Using Functions in the Virtual Zoo Program

Back to Classes

Chapter 6
Inheritance

A Primer on Inheritance

Overriding Instance Methods

Constructor Methods in Subclasses

Preventing Classes from Being Extended and Methods from Being
Overridden